


What if I'd Met You First

by HerderofCatz



Category: Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, F/M, Plot, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-13
Updated: 2014-02-28
Packaged: 2018-01-12 06:41:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 18,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1183085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HerderofCatz/pseuds/HerderofCatz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Stefan had met Elena first?  What if Damon had saved her from the car crash?  How would that change Mystic Falls and its inhabitants?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is quite the endeavor I am undertaking. I will try to update once a week, but we'll see how possible that is, considering how busy my schedule is.
> 
> I will update tags, characters, and relationships and probably the rating as I progress, but I want the tags to reflect what the story currently contains. I don't want to disappoint people searching for ships and then not getting them. As a warning, it's likely the rating will change too as I get further into this.
> 
> Ideally I wanted this to be from Elena's pov (3rd person, limited omniscient), but it won't work since I want to address things happening when she's "off screen". It will probably have chapters from Elena, Damon, and Stefan's perspectives, but I might branch out from there. We'll see.
> 
> As a final heads up, since the story does parallel actual canon, I will use very small snippets of dialogue from the tv series. Standard disclaimers apply: I don't own any of the characters, I don't speak for the creators, etc.

 

“Matt and I got into a fight.  He was talking about college and marriage and all the things he always talks about,” thinking back to the conversation made Elena’s head spin.  “And I just couldn’t.”

“He doesn’t really care about that yet, honey.  He’s just trying to figure out how you feel about him.”  Her mother’s voice was calm and warm.

“I don’t know how I feel.”  Elena hugged herself against the mild chill of the spring night.

“Yes you do.”  Her mother said gently.  “You’re just afraid to say it.”

Her mom was right, but it made Elena ache with indecision.  “But I don’t want to lose him.”

“You’re setting him free.”  Her mother assured her.  “We’ll come get you. Be right there.”

Elena hung up the phone with a sigh.  If only Matt hadn’t spoiled everything with all his talk of the future.  She wasn’t even seventeen yet.  Honestly, she hadn’t meant to break up with him, but the words were out and she knew, somewhere deep down, that she didn’t want to take them back.  Her conflicted emotions drove her legs down the road toward her house.

“What are you doing out here all alone?”  She jumped and whirled around.  Somehow she had passed the stranger without even noticing him.

“Trying to clear my head.”  He stood in the shadows by the side of the road.

“It’s not safe in the dark, alone.”

“It’s Mystic Falls.  Nothing bad ever happens here.”  She took a step toward him, puzzled, and trying to get a look at his face.  He remained shadowed in darkness.  “And you’re out here all alone, too.  Are you new in town?”

“You could say I grew up here, but I moved away a long time ago.”

“Oh…okay.  Are you back for good then?”

“The plan was to just pass through.  I’ll be staying with my uncle.”  His tone shifted to sheepish.  “Once I actually tell him I’m in town.”

“You didn’t tell him?”  Elena asked incredulously.

The boy chuckled.  “We’re not necessarily on the best of terms.”

“Well, it was nice meeting you.”  Mystic Falls was a small, safe town, but something still seemed off.  “But I should really go.  You should tell your uncle you’re in town; I’m sure he’ll be glad to see you.”

“I’ll have to do that.”  For the first time during their conversation, he stepped out of the darkness and her eyes widened.  He was hot; nosey and suspicious, but hot; slicked back copper hair, dark eyes made darker by the night. “Hey, are you going back to the party?” 

“No, my parents are coming to pick me up.  I’ve had more than enough party for one night.  Why do you care anyway?”

An emotion she couldn’t place flickered across his face.  “You remind me of someone I knew a long time ago.” He took her hand and bowed over it, a tradition from a bygone time. “Be safe; I hope we’ll meet again.”

 

Headlights from a car approached and she turned to see her parents pulling toward her.  When she turned back to the stranger he was gone.  She shook herself, trying to forget the strange exchange.  Her parents slowed and she hopped in the back behind her dad.  It had been a long night.

* * *

 

Damon licked his lips again.  It had been weeks since he’d had a decent meal, let alone two.  The campers had just been perfect for draining.  Their talking down on the road below the forest had drawn his attention.

 _Katherine_ , all of Damon’s muscles clenched, ready to pounce on her.  The spitting image of Katherine walked down the road, upset, but with an ease of motion and fragility that he had never seen before.  She took out her phone and called someone.  Curiously, Damon postponed action to listen to what his lost love had to say.

It immediately became clear that she was talking to her mother; her human mother.  This girl, for all that she looked exactly like Katherine, was just a human teenage girl, no more.  The coincidence was too great.  From where he stood in the tree line, he moved to keep pace with her, too intrigued to just let the strange circumstances go.

As she hung up the girl whirled around and Damon cursed with everything he had.  Fucking Stefan.  How did he always manage to get in the way?  What was he even doing in Mystic Falls?  Damon knew why he was here, but his brother?  But sure enough, his brother stood right next to the girl who was not Katherine, clearly as compelled by her as he was himself.

They exchanged trivial words and Damon ground his teeth.  What a wasted opportunity; what a waste of a chance for information.  His brother always managed to ruin everything.  He just let her go, right back to her normal life.  But Damon knew this girl had the capacity for something extraordinary.

She got in the car and even his vampire hearing wasn’t good enough to catch what she said to her parents.  Damon watched the car speed away from him.  He decided on tracking down the girl at a later date and returning to the Boarding House, which was not far away.

He headed toward his ancestral home when he heard a car careen through the guard rails and into the river below.  He was down near the water with it in just a moment.  Water was not exactly an element where vampires had a large advantage over humans.  The water got in the way of both speed and strength.  Damon threw off his jacket and shoes and waded into the river.  With all the speed he could manage he dove out to the car and cursed when he couldn’t even get the damned doors open until it had settled on the riverbed.

The stupid human waved at him to rescue his daughter, as if there were any doubt what his decision would be.  He opened the back door of the car and found the girl with the face he still loved just falling unconscious.  Not wasting any time, he unbuckled her and pulled her after him toward the surface.  Damon dragged her to the riverbank and then turned back to look toward the site of the accident.  It wasn’t like him to consider going back to save humans that he had no real interest in, but if her wanted to get to know the girl, and he did, he supposed saving her parents would be a good gesture.

He propelled his way back to the middle of the river and dove back to where the car had sunken.  A quick inspection of the mother proved her to be dead or, at the very least, beyond saving.  He glanced over the father, who had been quite conscious a moment before, and in the intervening time, his heart, too, had ceased to beat.  What a waste of effort.  He surfaced again and swam back toward the girl.

She lay still and quiet on the grass, still unconscious.  Unable to resist, Damon reached out and brushed the wet hair out of her face.  Leaving her here to be found would be the easier solution.  The accident had been loud and the party the girl had left was not far away.  He suspected that the police were already on the way and if not, he supposed that he could call 911 himself.  And yet, when the police did arrive, there Damon still sat, Elena’s head in his lap and wrapped in his leather coat.


	2. Chapter 2

The sheriff took a seat at her desk and gestured for him to do the same.  “You did a heroic thing today.”

She offered her hand and he shook it, grinning broadly.  Heroic was not a thing people called him, ever.  “Just doing my duty.  I’m just sorry I couldn’t save her parents.”

“We’re just grateful you could save Elena.”

Damon’s eyebrows shot up.  “Elena?”

“Yes, Elena Gilbert is the girl you saved.”

“A Gilbert?”  His mind roved back well over a hundred years to remember the pompous, asinine Jonathan Gilbert.

“Yes.  Do you know the Gilberts?”

“I used to.  You see, when you’re a Salvatore you tend to know all the Founding Families.”

“You’re a Salvatore?”  The sheriff’s face was shocked.  “We thought Zach was the last of the Salvatore line.”

Damon smirked.  “He likes to think that.  Me and my brother aren’t on the best terms with him.  But no, I’m Salvatore through and through.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Damon Salvatore.  I’m Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes.”  Ah, a Forbes, so then the Founding Council controlled, at the very least, the police force.

“It’s lovely meeting you, Sheriff.”

“Liz, please, after everything you’ve done.”

“Yes, of course Liz,” Damon practically purred.  He found himself mentally rearranging his plans.  If he could get the backing of the Founding Families he could run this little sleepy town, find the crystal, wait for the comet and then success would be his.  “When do you have Council meetings?”

“Council meetings?”  The sheriff tried to keep her face neutral but failed.

“I’m sorry if I’ve shocked you.”  Damon held out both hands placatingly.  “My uncle may want nothing to do with the Founding Families, but that doesn’t mean my father didn’t educate me about Mystic Falls’ history before he passed on.”

“The Founding Families have been the poorer for not having a Salvatore on the council.  I’ve often wondered why Zach doesn’t just leave town.”

“I often wondered the same thing.”  Liz was giving him an opportunity she didn’t realize.

“If you’re interested in the Council, we’re meeting this Wednesday, after the Gilbert’s memorial service.”

Damon stood, extending his hand again; the sheriff shook it heartily.  “Thank you Liz.  I look forward to it.”

As he turned to leave, the sheriff called after him.  “Wait, Damon.”  He stopped obediently, curious as to what she wanted.  “Are you planning on sticking around in Mystic Falls a while?”

He thought it over.  “A year or so I think.  We’ll just have to see what happens.”

“If you’re looking for something to keep you busy, we might just have a job for you.”

He stifled a sigh, jobs were boring.  “The vice principal of Mystic Falls High School and his wife were found dead.  It appeared to be an _animal attack_.”

“And you want me to investigate this animal attack?”  He asked skeptically.

“No,” she laughed, “I have deputies for that.  I was wondering if you might want the vice principal job, at least for the interim.  The Council could use eyes on the school.  And you’re a little young, but not overly so…”

“I’ve been told I’m quite old for my age,” he smiled disarmingly.

“I believe based on what I’ve seen I can vouch for that.  So, are you interested?”

Fortune was falling right into his lap again.  He’d eaten those campers because they had been easy targets.  Damon had never expected them to be useful; and how very convenient the nepotism of the Founding Families was.   “I might be, actually.”

“Good.  We can discuss the details at the Council on Wednesday.”

“Thank you, Liz.”

“Thank _you,_ Damon.  Mystic Falls is lucky you found your way back.”

He turned his back, grinning to himself.  They had no idea what Mystic Falls was in for.

 

“Leave town Zach.  Don’t come back.”  Damon stared into his many-many-great-grandnephew’s eyes, compelling him to get out of his way.

Zach laughed.  “That little trick of yours won’t work, Damon.  I’m on vervain.”

Damon cursed explosively.  “There’s a reason I burned all of it decades ago.”

“As much as I hate to say it Zach, Damon might be right.”  Damon’s head jerked up to find his brother leaning against the doorway.

“So you two come into my life again and just demand I leave?  Uncle Stefan, I didn’t even know you were in town.”  Zach poured himself some bourbon and downed it.

“I didn’t really want to impose.  If I’d realized Damon was here I would have come sooner.”

“Aww, it’s good to see you too Brother, even if it does look like you’re back on the bunny diet, and thus no fun.”

“Shut up, Damon.”  Stefan strode into the room, taking a glass and pouring himself some bourbon too.  “If you leave town you won’t have to worry about any of this anymore.  You’ve never liked Mystic Falls.  Why stay?”

“ _Why stay_?”  Zach asked explosively.  “Oh, I don’t know.  It couldn’t be that as backwards and secretive as this town is, it’s still my home.”

“Make a new home, Zach.  We’ll buy you a new house–”

“Hell, we’ll buy you a villa as long as you get your ass out of town.”  Damon went over to the forgotten desk in the corner of the room and rummaged around.  He found the old family checkbook, the account they had never given Zach access to, and scribbled out a check.  “Here.”

Damon shoved the check into Zach’s hand and he took it without looking.  “So my hundred and fifty year old vampire relatives are bribing me to leave my own home.  God, I do need to get out of this town.”

“Don’t come back.”  Stefan eyed Damon angrily and he put on his best innocent face.

“How do I know you won’t track me down?”  Zach asked of the elder brother.

“Why would I want to?”  Damon shrugged.  “Even if I did track you down for some God forsaken reason, you wouldn’t have to invite me inside.”

“Fine,” Zach growled.  “I’ll be gone by tomorrow.  Enjoy the house and I hope to never see either of you ever again.”

“Go enjoy your life, Zach,” Stefan said in his most annoyingly sincere voice, “Stop looking over your shoulder.  Find a woman to love, start a family.  I promise we’ll stay far away.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Uncle Stefan.”  Zach said over his shoulder as he walked away.

They waited for Zach’s steps to recede up the stairs before Stefan rounded on Damon.  “What are you doing here, Damon?”

“I could ask you the same thing, little brother.”  Damon poured himself a drink, copying the rest of the room.

“I always come back every few decades, as you well know.”

Damon shrugged.  “And I follow where you go; making your life hell on earth, you know, things like that. Oh, but I do like the new hair.  Nineties grunge didn’t look good on you.”

Stefan ran his hand through his hair self-consciously and Damon smirked over his small victory.  “So that’s really the only reason why you’re here?  You have no ulterior motives?  No master plan?”

“That, Brother, is for me to know and you to dot dot dot.”  Damon turned and threw the words over his shoulder.

"Why get Zach to leave?  Why not just kill him?”  Stefan called after him, his brother knew him too well.

Damon turned, spreading his arms, and bowing deeply. “If I’d killed him then we wouldn’t have this lovely vampire-proof house.” 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm realizing as I continue writing that from here on out each chapter will roughly follow each episode of TVD; starting with this one paralleling 1x1.
> 
> Thanks to my amazing beta who also went back and did the first two chapters for me.

“Hold up, who’s this?”  Bonnie halted near the front office, pulling Elena with her.

Elena smiled indulgently.  “All I see is back.”

“But it’s a hot back.”

Elena inclined her head in agreement.  They watched for a minute as he got his affairs in order.  “I’m sensing Seattle,” Bonnie raised her eyebrows in scrutiny, “And he plays the guitar.”

“Shut up.  You’re really going to run this whole psychic thing into the ground.”

Bonnie shrugged with a grin.  “Pretty much.”  The boy turned and Elena dropped her history book in surprise.  “What is _with_ you?”

“I know him.”  She whispered, bending to pick up her book.

The boy beat her to it.  “So we meet again.”

He smiled disarmingly and she found herself smiling back.  “So we do.  I didn’t know you were going to go to school here.”

“It was a last minute decision.  I don’t really have a whole lot back in Seattle.”  Bonnie shot Elena a triumphant look and she tried to ignore it.

“Are your parents moving with you?”

“My parents aren’t really in the picture anymore.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”  Her own pain shot through her.  “Mine neither.”

“I’m so sorry.  I heard your parents…”  He touched her shoulder and she looked at his hand.  “I didn’t mean to bring that back up for you.”

“It’s never far away,” she admitted, her sincerity surprising her.

“Here, your book.”  He handed it back to her.

“Thank you…?”  She paused, fishing for a name.

“Stefan.  And your name?”

“I’m Elena.  Thank you, Stefan.  I’ll see you around.”  She smiled brightly and grabbed Bonnie’s hand, pulling her toward class.

“What was that all about?”  Bonnie bounced excitedly as they walked.

“We met months ago…”  She paused, remembering, “On the day my parents died.”

“Oh.”

“I guess I just didn’t expect to see him here.”  Elena said, her happiness fading with the memories.

“No.”  Bonnie said resolutely.  “No, no, no, no, no.  You were happy for a second.  Don’t just blow that off.”

“I’m sorry Bon, you’re right.  I just got caught remembering that night and the car…”

“So you still don’t know who rescued you?”  They took their seats in their history class.  It was a small school, so they had Tanner for history again.  Elena groaned inwardly.

“Well, actually, I went and talked to Sheriff Forbes.”

“ _And?_   What did she say?”  Bonnie plopped down into a seat next to Elena’s.

“She didn’t tell me much.  Apparently the guy who saved me didn’t want the accolades.  But she said his name was Damon Salvatore.”

“And you didn’t tell me this before?!  Wait, did you say Salvatore?  As in _Zach_ Salvatore?”

“Yeah, Zach’s nephew from out of town.”  Elena shrugged.  “But Zach left town months ago, so apparently this Damon’s the only Salvatore in town now.”

“Actually,” the boy from before interrupted, “Damon’s my brother.”

“You’re a Salvatore?”  Bonnie cut in.

“Yeah, not exactly a proud family line.  I try not to talk about it too much.”

“Grab a seat,” Bonnie gestured to the one open next to Elena.  She glared at her friend.  “I’m Bonnie Bennett.”

Stefan smiled and Elena noted absently how nice it was to see the expression on his face.  “It’s nice to meet you, Bonnie.”

“Alright settle down, settle down.”  Tanner stalked into the room and the talking died away.

 

“I’ll see you later then?”  Stefan raised a hand in goodbye as they walked out of history.

“See you later.” Elena nodded.

“Stefan, wait.”  Bonnie called after him.  “There’s a back to school party tonight.  Will you think about going?”

Stefan smiled again and Elena’s heart stirred in a way it hadn’t since before she’d broken up with Matt.  “Sure, I’ll think about it.”

The two stared after Stefan as he walked away, admiring the view.  “You’re coming to the back to school party.”  Caroline threw her arms around Elena and Bonnie’s shoulders.  “Non-negotiable.”

Bonnie rolled her eyes.  “Okay Care, whatever you say.  Like I could ever think about turning you down.”

“Elena?”

“What?”

“You haven’t said you’re coming.”

“Alright,” she conceded still thinking about Stefan, “I’ll be there.”

“Good!  Maybe we can get back to having fun and making junior year the awesome year it’s meant to be.”  She released her friends, but didn’t leave.  “And have you seen the new vice principal?  Can I just say: H-O-T-T?”

“Elena’s been too busy with her own hottie.”  Bonnie jumped in before Elena could say anything.

Caroline’s face lit up at the prospect of gossip. “What?  _Elena_!  What about Matt?  Who is it?  Dish!”

Elena rubbed her arm, fidgeting uncomfortably.  “We met back the night of the bonfire and I haven’t seen him since.  He transferred here from Seattle.”

“And he’s a Salvatore,” Bonnie put in, unable to resist.

“A Salvatore?  The new vice principal’s a Salvatore!”

“That must be Stefan’s brother.”  Elena said quietly, mostly to herself.

“You mean the brother who saved you from the car?”

“Wait, get _out_!”  Caroline pulled all three of them to a stop. “The new vice principal was the one who saved you?!”

“Damon Salvatore.  At least that’s what your mom said.”

“This day is so full of twists.  The party tonight is going to be _great!_ ”

 

* * *

 

Damon watched the teenagers down the hill party with abandon.  It would be easy for him to find a snack.  He’d been mostly living on blood bags for months and he was craving blood, hot from the vein.  He noted with interest that his little brother was mingling among the high schoolers.

He had never understood Stefan’s obsession with high school.  College, now that he could understand wanting to relive, but high school?  Those kids were just a mess of hormones and emotions.  It wasn’t until little Elena Gilbert showed up that his interest was piqued.  Now, what was his brother doing with Katherine’s look-alike?

He sauntered down the hill toward his brother before realizing that he had somehow managed to become an authority figure.  The few kids who recognized him scattered, not wanting to be seen drinking in front of their new vice principal.  While his cover had gained him useful, unparalleled access to the Founder’s Council, the side effects it carried with it were tedious.

“Brother,” Damon slapped his brother on the shoulder, harder than necessary.  “Not taking part in underage drinking I hope.”

“Damon.”  Stefan’s voice was warning.

“This is your brother, Stefan?”  The girl was interested and Damon smiled his most disarming smile.

He took her hand and kissed it.  “A pleasure to meet you, in far more favorable circumstances this time, I might add.”

She flushed.  “I can’t thank you enough for saving my life.”

“It was lucky I happened to be back in town.”

“What are you doing here?”  Stefan asked, putting a hand on Elena’s shoulder protectively.  Damon was pleased to note her alarmed expression.

“Getting to know the students.”

“Shouldn’t you be doing something about the underage drinking?”

“Maybe,” Damon grabbed a cup out of a passing student’s hands.  “You shouldn’t drink that, it’s bad for you.”  Elena’s mouth gaped a little as he drained the cup.  “What?  They threw the vice principal position at me.  I didn’t want it, but what was I supposed to do, say no?”

“I just…don’t you care there are kids here drinking?”

“Why should I?  Kids have been sneaking around their parents to get drunk for centuries.  I can’t exactly stop them.”

“You _should_ care Damon.  It’s your _job_ now.”

 Damon just shrugged again.  “I’ll see you around, Brother; try not to be too much of a wet blanket.  It was good meeting you, Elena; you look so much like Stefan’s old girlfriend.  It’s always nice to see a familiar face.”

He walked away smirking and could hear Elena reply to Stefan.  “That was very…weird.”

“Awful more like.  Damon has an ability to ruin everything.”

“He didn’t seem that bad, a little…casual, for a vice principal, but not that bad.  What did he mean like your ex-girlfriend?”

“Like I said, he’s just trying to get to me.  I used to date a girl, Katherine, who looked a lot like you.”

“Oh.”

“I’m sorry, Elena.”  Damon couldn’t help chuckling over his brother’s reactions.  Even after well over a century he was so predictable.

“You know what…no.  I’m tired of dwelling.  Let’s just have a good time tonight.”  The girl’s reaction surprised him, but he had already sown all the dissension he’d planned to for the night.

He wandered past the main groups, places where it would be too crowded to find someone to drink.  He watched Elena chase a boy into the woods and followed curiously.  He realized within a few moments that the boy was her brother and he had been escaping the party to get high.  Interesting… druggies would be the perfect targets.

The interaction between the boy and the couple they encountered reeked of teenage drama.  The tramp was sleeping with both boys, but both boys wanted it to be exclusive; yawn.  He waited for the drama to die down and followed the girl.

“You shouldn’t be out here all by yourself, you know?”

“Just fuck off.”  The girl snapped angrily.

“Vicki is it?”  He approached her, his voice soothing.

“How do you know that?”

“I’m the new vice principal.  It’s my business to know.”  He placated, taking a few more steps.

The girl gulped, clearly worried that she had sworn at someone who could do something about it.  “It’s been a long day.  I’m sorry, but I just want to be left alone.”

“Let’s just get you back to civilization and then I’ll leave you alone.”  He put a hand on her shoulder in what he hoped was a fatherly manner and gently pushed her back toward the party.  She went reluctantly and as she passed Damon sunk his fangs into her neck.  He reveled in her scream.  They were far enough away and the party was loud enough that he let her.  It had been so long since he’d had a victim struggle.  There was something thrilling about it in a way that nothing else was.

The hot blood filled his mouth; he was starving.  He drained the blood quickly, too desperate for human blood to exercise restraint.  In his bloodlust, he almost didn’t hear the footsteps approaching until it was too late.  It was Elena’s kid brother.  He flung the girl aside and scrambled to get out of sight.  Damon had drained the girl to the point of death, she wouldn’t give him away.  He watched briefly as the boy screamed for help and then scooped the girl into his arms and carried her back to the party.  All in all, it had been a good night.


	4. Chapter 4

Damon knocked on the door to the Forbes house sharply.  It was after normal work hours and he hopped the sheriff would be home.  A bouncy blonde girl opened the door.  She looked like the sheriff, but so much more naïve and filled with life.  The girl smiled at him brightly.  “Hi, Mr. Salvatore.”

He nearly gagged in distaste.  “Damon, _please.”_

Her perfectly sculpted eyebrows rose.  “Alright, Damon.  Come in.”

 He smiled charmingly at the invitation.  “Why thank you.”

“I’m Caroline,” she held out her hand.

 “A pleasure to meet you, Caroline.”

“You must be looking for my mom.  She’s not home yet.”

“It’s almost seven.”  He let his surprise show.

“That’s my mom for you.  Never home on time, never home for dinner, never home for anything.”  She said it too brightly; the hurt was old but ran deep.

“I don’t know why she leaves a pretty thing like you alone.”

Caroline ducked her head, “Thank you.  So what do you need?  Maybe I can help you.”

His time was running out.  The comet appeared in the sky that night and he needed to have everything in place to open the tomb.  Damon glanced at the girl, so eager to help, “I’m looking for a family heirloom that was taken from the Salvatores long ago.  You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that type of thing, would you?”

“No.”  Caroline replied, “But Elena probably does.  She mentioned that she was loaning some of their old musty antiques to the Lockwoods for the Founder’s Ball.”

“The Founder’s Ball?”  Damon was swept back into memories of Katherine waltzing with Stefan at the ball as he looked on painfully.

“It’s been going on forever, but I can never turn down an excuse to get dressed.”

He grinned.  “Nor can I Miss Forbes.”

The front door opened.  “Mom.  You’re finally home.”

“You know I work late sweetheart.”  The sheriff’s eyes looked Damon over.  “Damon, is there something I can do for you?”

“As I was just telling you lovely daughter, I’m looking for an heirloom that once belonged to Salvatores.  She kindly suggested I try the Lockwoods at the Founder’s Ball.”

“When the Forbes’ ancestral home burned decades ago we lost most of our keepsakes, but any of the Founding Family heirlooms will be on display for the Ball this year.  It was Miranda Gilbert’s idea before she died in that crash.”

“I had forgotten that the Forbes’ original estate had burned down.”  He put on a mask of sympathy, secretly remembering the pleasure he had taken in setting the house aflame.

“It would have been before you were born.”  Liz’s suspicious nature shone through.

“I feel it’s important to know your town history.”  He shrugged eloquently.  “I heard that most of the vervain in Mystic Falls mysteriously burned with that fire.”  The sheriff stared pointedly at Damon and then at Caroline.  So the daughter didn’t know yet then, that was an interesting development.  “But I digress, thank you both for your help.  I will see you both at the Founder’s Ball, assuming I am of course welcome.”

“Of course you’re welcome.  Zach stopped going in distaste of the event, but any Salvatores will always make good company.”  Damon inclined his head to the sheriff in thanks.  “In fact, do you have a date yet?”

“I have only been in town a few short months.  I’m good,” he smirked, “But I’ve been busy.”

“Would you be willing to accompany my daughter then?  As a chaperone,” she clarified, “I would feel much better about the whole thing with that animal on the loose.”

“ _Mom_!”  Caroline screeched, careless that Damon stood right there.  “Maybe I already had plans.”

“Do you have plans?”  She asked sharply.

“Well, no.  But I could!  And now you ask my vice principal to _chaperone_ me?  How old am I?!”  Her pitch rose with each sentence and Damon winced.

“Caroline, I trust Damon.  He’ll keep you safe.”  It was shocking how easy it had been to work his way into the Council’s good graces.

“Caroline, I understand it’s less than ideal, but I am honored that your mother trusts me to keep you safe.”  Damon turned toward the girl and away from her mother.  “We could talk; get to know each other.”  He raised his eyebrows seductively, knowing that Liz couldn’t see.  Caroline blushed prettily.

“Well if I have to fine.  But I’m wearing yellow and I expect a matching corsage.”

Liz smiled tolerantly at her daughter and then apologetically at Damon.  He cringed at the thought of yellow; it was just so…jaundiced.  “But of course m’lady.”

The sheriff held out her hand.  “It was nice to see you Damon.  Thank you for stopping by.  Is your new job keeping you busy?”

“More than.  To tell the truth, I’m beginning to regret taking the position.”  He said sincerely, meaning every word.

“We picked a good man for the job.”

His lips curled upward.  “You’re _too_ kind.”

“I will see you at the Ball sweet Caroline.”  He turned to go, but then remembered something the girl had said.  “You said Elena Gilbert might have some better ideas on the heirloom I’m missing?”

The sheriff nodded.  “The Gilberts have the largest collection of ancestral keepings behind the Lockwoods.  Elena is loaning the majority of their collection for the Ball, but Caroline is right that it’s likely that Miranda Gilbert passed much of their lore to her daughter.”

“Thank you both again.  You have been quite enlightening.”  He left the Forbes’ house whistling.  After months of cultivating relationships everything was falling into place quite nicely 

* * *

 

 "Wait right there missy."  Her aunt caught her right as she reached the door.

“What is it Aunt Jenna?  Is everything alright with Jeremy?  I mean, no worse than normal anyway?”

Jenna made a face.  “Everything with Jeremy is no worse the usual.  But I wanted to ask about you.  I’ve managed to make everything about your little brother and I never talk to you just about you anymore.  So how are you, Elena?”

She eased the door shut with an audible sound of frustration.  “I’m about to go out Aunt Jenna.”

“Who with?  Are you going to the comet viewing with Bonnie and Caroline?”

“Yeah, I’m going to watch the comet eventually.”  She fidgeted.

“Out with it Elena.  Where are you really going?  Out with that boy again?”

“Which boy?”  Elena tried to play dumb carefully.

“Oh don’t be coy Elena, you’ve been with him constantly the last few weeks.  I’m not blind.”  She smiled and Elena’s muscles relaxed.

“His name’s Stefan.  He’s a really nice guy Jenna.  I need a really nice guy in my life right now.  I mean all of this stuff keeps happening.  It’s a miracle that Vicki Donovan is even alive, but she's still in a coma.  And starting my junior year's been so tough, and mom and dad’s death, and…”

“Elena,” Jenna held up a hand, “I understand; probably better than you think.  You’re going over to Stefan’s place?”  Elena nodded.  “Just be careful and don’t be out too late.”

“Thanks Aunt Jenna,” she threw her arms around her new parent figure, “You really are doing a great job.”

Her aunt looked touched.  “Thank you, Elena, that means a lot.  Now go have fun.”

Elena didn’t waste a moment.  Grin on her face she waved goodbye to her aunt and jumped into her car.  She had never driven to the Salvatore Boarding House before earlier that day, but everyone knew where it was.  Apparently it used to be quite popular in the 50’s and 60’s, but since Zach had come into ownership of it, he had completely stopped taking boarders.

She pulled into the driveway for the second time that day.  She’d stopped by earlier that day, but no one had been there.  Steeling her nerves, she knocked on the door.  “Come in,” I voice she didn’t quite recognize called.

She opened the door and saw the elder of the two brothers sipping a drink by the fireplace.  “Oh, Mr. Salvatore, I’m sorry.  I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

The man gestured in annoyance.  “I’m going to have to issue a blanket ban against ‘Mr. Salvatore’.  Please, it’s Damon.  And you’re not interrupting anything.  In fact,” he smiled invitingly, “Join me if you like.”

Elena shook her head, confused again.  “No, I couldn’t”

He just shrugged, “More for me then.”

She covered her smile.  “You’re new to this whole authority, huh?”

Damon quirked a single eyebrow.  “What makes you say that?”

“I know someone in a very similar situation.”

“You feel pity for me?”  He asked curiously, standing.

“I guess you could say that.”

He took a few steps toward her and she shifted uneasily.  “I see why my brother is interested in you.”

“Where is Stefan?”

“I’m sure he’ll be along soon.  He’s probably baring his soul to his diary; confessing his utter guilt over the similarities between you and his lost love, Katherine.  He’s such a tortured artist, my brother.”

Elena frowned, angry.  “You don’t really like him do you?”

Damon gestured widely, “Who could?  Besides you of course.”

“Why are you such an ass?”  She spat.

“Careful now, language like that and I could get you in trouble.”

Elena took a step forward, meeting Damon’s eyes.  “Which is it?  You can either be treated like the cool, authority figure or the taskmaster.  Pick _one_.”

They stood like that, at an impasse, for longer than Elena expected herself to have nerve for.  But when it broke, it was Damon who stepped backward, gesturing placatingly.  “Elena, I’m sorry.”

“Good.”  She said shortly.

“I shouldn’t have said any of that to you.  My brother and my relationship have always had a complicated relationship.”  He held out a hand.  “Can I have a fresh start?”

“Okay,” she shook his hand impulsively.

“Just be careful with Stefan.  Men with broken hearts can be unpredictable.”

Her eyebrows knit together.  For all that Damon was a glib asshole, he did seem to want to protect her.  And he had saved her life, which had to count for something.  “Thank you, Damon.”

“What has my brother been telling you?”  Stefan came into the room, still running a towel over his shower-wet hair.

“Nothing bad,” Elena smiled.  It was mostly the truth.

Stefan eyed Damon suspiciously.  “Your girl’s got spunk.”  Elena was perversely please with his description of her.

“Would you like to go see the comet now?”   Stefan gestured toward the door, ignoring Damon.

“I would love that,” she took her boyfriend’s arm with a smile and they strolled out of the Boarding House together.


	5. Chapter 5

The stunts he’d pulled today hadn’t been wise.  He’d stayed away from football because of the potential for disaster.  He tried to use his vampire traits as minimally as possible, but it took restraint; not his strong suit.  But Elena’s encouragement had been too tempting to act on.  And he _was_ more in control that he’d been in decades.

He took off his helmet at watched the rest of his brand new teammates head for the locker room.  Surveying the field, he looked for the field and found Elena already heading his way.  He smiled and waved.  It had been a long time since he had been anything even approaching this happy.

“No cheerleading?”  Stefan threw an arm around his girlfriend.

“No I had a run in with Caroline.”

He shook his head, hiding a grin.  “I’m sorry.”

“No, she’s right,” Elena sighed, “I missed all of the training over summer.  I know the routines; my body just doesn’t want to cooperate.”

He slipped his hand down her back to rest temptingly on her him.  “It seems cooperative to me.”

“Maybe we can see later.”  Her look was inviting and Stefan swallowed hard.  He was in control.  He had to be.

“ _Maybe_.  After this fancy dinner you’re hosting tonight?”

“Yeah.  Eight is time normal people do dinner…right?”  She took his hand from her hip and squeezed it.  “We get takeout so often I don’t even know anymore.”

“You’re asking me, the one who lives with only his crazy older brother for company?”

She met his eyes curiously.  “Damon doesn’t seem as bad as you’re making him out to be.  He broke up a fight between Tyler and my little brother the other day.”

“There’s a lot about him you don’t know.  There’s a lot about _me_ you don’t know.”

“And that’s why this dinner will be so good.  Bonnie can get over her ooga-booga feelings that she’s suddenly development and we can all get to know each other better.”

“Do you know why Bonnie suddenly has decided she doesn’t like me?”

Elena shrugged.  “I don’t know.  She said when she touched you earlier she felt something bad.”

Stefan gripped Elena’s hand hard.  “Something bad?”

“Yeah,” she laughed a little, “But it’s nothing.  Bonnie’s just suddenly convinced she’s psychic.”

He locked his jaw, worried about the implications for tonight.  “It should be a fun night.”

“Should be.”  Elena pulled out her phone.  “It’s after five, I should go.  Don’t want to keep Bonnie waiting.”  She burrowed into Stefan’s arms briefly.  “You still smell nice.  Matt _never_ smelled nice after practice.”

He wrapped his arms around her.  “I guess I’m just lucky.”

She jumped back with mock indignation.  “With me for a girlfriend is that any doubt?”

“Careful, you’re starting to sound like Caroline.”  He grinned; it had been a very long time since he’d had so much fun with another person,

“I’ll see you tonight.”  She waved, “I’ve got to call Bonnie.”

“I’ll see you then,” he called after her.

 

Stefan walked into his house and had started up the stairs when he heard giggling coming from the living room.  It was a very bad sign considering Damon was his housemate.  He rushed to the living room to find Damon standing over Caroline’s shoulder.

Damon turned interestedly.  “Where’s the fire Brother?”

“Caroline,” he said with false cheer, “What brings you here?”

“Oh, hi Stefan.”  Her voice was dismissive.  She was still mad at him for rejecting her in favor of Elena; she hadn’t made that fact any secret.

“Caroline here,” Damon patted her shoulder and the girl beamed,  
“Has kindly offered to help me with a heritage project.”

Stefan raised his eyebrows skeptically.  “ _You’re_ doing a heritage project?”

 “Don’t ever doubt my capacity for change little Brother.”  Damon smiled toothily at him.

“What type of heritage project?”  He changed tactics.  “Perhaps I could help.”

“Thanks, but I think I’ve got it covered.”  Caroline said coldly.

“Of course.”  He nodded, his hands behind his back.  “Let me know if you do need help.  You know I’m always interested to know what you’re up to Damon.”

Damon waved his hand dismissively.  “Will do little bro.  Now you go do whatever you high schoolers do; journal, play guitar badly, the whole experience.”

Stefan turned, biting his tongue, but then turned back to the head cheerleader.  “Caroline, don’t take out your anger at me on Elena.  She doesn’t deserve it.  Now excuse me, I need to go change for dinner.”

“What’s gotten in to him?”  Caroline asked as her walked away.

“It’s more like what he’s gotten into I suspect.”  Damon quipped and he could hear Caroline’s teasing smack.  “Elena’s my friend.”

“She can take a little teasing.  Elena seems capable of taking whatever throws itself at her.”  Damon’s comment left a bad taste in his mouth.

 

“You’re here!”  Elena opened the door breathlessly and threw herself into Stefan’s eyes.  He caught her and spun her in a full circle before putting her down.  “And so _strong_ now that you’re on the football team.”

Stefan kissed her.  “I’m fairly certain that’s not how it works.”

“Are you two going to come in?”  Bonnie called from the kitchen, an amused smile playing on her lips.

“Sorry Bon,” Elena looked sheepish.

“It’s good to see you smiling Elena.  Don’t apologize.”  Then she turned to Stefan, “And _you_ , I’m not on your team yet, but there’s no denying you’ve done some good for Elena.”

“I’m honored that she lets me do anything for her.”  He replied honestly and Bonnie nodded in agreement.

Elena blushed.  “Come sit down.  You got here just in time.  Dinner’s ready.”

They sat down at the dining room table.  “Which is to say any time would have been ‘just in time’ since we picked this up from Giovani’s an hour ago.”

“ _Bonnie_!”

“What?  It’s true?”  Elena’s best friend took some of the pasta and passed it to Stefan.

He helped himself.  “No shame in that.  Should we save some for your brother?”  He carefully didn’t mention the other voice he heard coming from Jeremy’s room.

“I told him that he could have some when we were good.  _If_ he behaved himself.”

Bonnie laughed.  “That’s not likely to happen.”

“So Bonnie, Elena mentioned that you have been having psychic feelings lately?”

“Psychic feelings might be a bit strong.”  She shrugged, clearly self-conscious.  “My Gramps has always said that my family has a history of it.”

“A history of psychics?”

“No, a history of witches.”  Elena put in.  “It’s really cool.”

Bonnie stared at her pasta determinedly.  “Cool isn’t the word I’d use.”

“I would say cool.”  He smiled encouragingly.  “I’m not too versed, but I do know that there’s a history of Celtic Druids that migrated here in the 1800s.”

“My family came by way of Salem.”

“Really?  Salem witches?”  A Bennett out of Salem?  The odds were astronomical; too great to be merely a coincidence.

“Yeah.”

“The Salem witches are heroic examples of individualism and nonconformity.”

Bonnie nodded in surprise.  “Yeah, _they are_.”

Before anything else could be said, the doorbell rang.  The bottom dropped out of Stefan’s stomach.  Why had he mentioned dinner to Damon.  “Surprise!”  Caroline nearly sang when Elena opened the door.

“Care!  What are you doing here?”  Her eyes fell on Stefan’s brother.  “And with _Mr. Salvatore_?”

“What are you doing here?”  Stefan threw an arm around Elena protectively.

Damon shrugged.  “You mentioned having dinner and I just so happened to have something I needed to talk to Elena about, so I figured we could make it a party.”

“We brought dessert.”  Caroline bribed.

Elena stepped back and gestured.  “Come in, please.”

Stefan’s sigh escaped his lips and Damon smirked.  “Why thank you for the _invitation_ , Elena.  You’re a wonderful host.”

“Go on ahead Care, Stefan, I’ll catch up.”  Elena stopped before Damon could enter the house.  “And who said the invitation was for you?”

Stefan lingered in the doorway to the living room and had to bury his glee at the suspicious look that came over Damon’s face.  “You know?”

“No, I don’t know.”  Elena said oblivious.  “I don’t know why you’re here at all.  So tell me and then maybe you can come in.  What are you doing with Caroline?”

“She’s helping me with a heritage project.  The sheriff and Caroline both said that you might be able to help me.  She said your mom was very involved in the whole thing.”  It was interesting to watch Damon interact with Elena, Stefan decided.  Her resemblance to Katherine always caught him off guard and he gave her more power than he gave anyone else.

“Oh.”  Elena was surprised.  “I’m sorry.  Yes, come in then.”  Stefan knew there was no use trying to stop her.  He would just have to keep an eye on Damon while he was in the house.

 “No apologies necessary.  My brother and I have a troubled past.  It’s natural for you to share his distrust of me.”  Damon stepped into the house and shot Stefan a triumphant glare while Elena’s head was turned.

“Most of the stuff is still up in my room.  Let me go get it.”  Damon sidestepped to allow Elena up the stairs.

“No rush.  I’ll make myself at home.”

“Please do.”  She called over her shoulder.

“Don’t hurt her Damon.”  Stefan warned him quietly.  “Don’t hurt Caroline either.”

“Little Caroline’s safe for now.  She’s proven to be useful.  And Elena, well I wouldn’t dream of laying a hand on her _while_ she’s under your protection.  But you can’t be with her every moment of every day.”

He stepped toe to toe with his brother.  “Touch her and I’ll kill you.”

“I would love to see you try little Brother.  On the bunny blood you’re no match for me.  We’ve been over this once, but if you’d like to go over it again I’d be happy to.”

“Not here.”

Elena bounded back down the stairs.  “Here’s everything.  You’re welcome to look through everything, but I’ve promised to loan everything to Mrs. Lockwood for the Founder’s Ball.”

Damon took the box and flipped through it.  “Everything?”

She shrugged.  “Well not actually everything, but everything that Mrs. Lockwood asked for.”

“This is a nice watch.”  Damon looked it over and Stefan could see the recognition pass over his face.

“It was passed down through the male line of the Gilbert family.  It’ll be Jeremy’s someday.”  Elena turned to Stefan.  “Stefan, I’m fine, really.  Go rescue Bonnie from Caroline.  I’ll be right in as soon as I help Damon find what he needs.”  Stefan nodded reluctantly and went to find a seat next to Bonnie, though his ears stayed in the room with his girlfriend and brother.  “So what are you looking for?”

“A necklace.”  Damon’s voice was cryptic.  He knew Stefan was still listening.

“We don’t have a whole lot of necklaces in our things.  I know that Mrs. Lockwood has a bunch though.”

“Well I’ll just have to look at the Founder’s Ball then, won’t I?”

“I suppose so.”  Stefan could hear the smile in Elena’s voice fade.  “Can I ask you a question.”

“Anything.”  Damon replied.

“Can you tell me more about Katherine?”

“She was beautiful. A lot like you in that department. She was also very complicated and selfish and at times not very kind, but very sexy and seductive.”  Damon took a deep breath.  “I honestly think I loved her more than Stefan ever did.”

Stefan fought his surprise.  Why had Damon told Elena that?  How did it figure into his game?  He seemed to genuinely like the girl, which was so very unlike him.  But Elena had no idea how sincere Damon was being in contrast to his normal self.  “That’s where I figured this might be going.”

“Nicely deduced.”

“What happened to her?”

“She died.”  Damon paused again.  “A long time ago, but a person’s first love never really truly fades; not for me; not for Stefan.”

“I’m so sorry.”

When Damon spoke again it was mostly devoid of his earlier earnestness.  “I’d quit cheerleading if I were you.”

Elena was surprised.  “Why do you say that?”

“I stopped by football practice today to watch my brother and I saw you.  You looked miserable.”

“Oh.”

“There’s no shame in quitting.”

“I used to love it. It was fun. Things are different this year. Everything that used to matter doesn't anymore.”

 “So don't let it. Quit, move on. Problem solved.  Elena,” Damon’s earnestness was back, “You’re too talented to waste your life on things you don’t want to be doing.”

“Earth to Stefan!” Caroline nearly shouted and he was pulled back into the room.  “Seriously.  We’ve been trying to get your attention for the last five minutes.  What _is_ wrong with you?  At first I doubted Damon, but…”

“Hey, lay off Care, Stefan’s cool.”  Bonnie cut the blonde off and Stefan smiled at her gratefully.  He had managed to make another friend.

 

The buzzer blared and all of Mystic Falls High School went wild.  They had won their first game.  It had been three seasons since the Timberwolves had won so much as a game, so the crowd went completely wild.

Stefan changed as quickly as possible, skipping the post-game high-fives and congratulations, and found Elena in the crush of humanity.  He kissed her firmly and she threw her arms around him enthusiastically.  “We won!  And it’s all because of you.”

“And the rest of the team.  They all played well.”

“But you were the best.”

“Did you still cheer for me, even though you’re not a cheerleader anymore?”

“Of course I did!  Do you think I made the right decision?”

He ran a hand through her hair.  “As hot as it is to date a cheerleader, it’s even hotter to date someone who makes decisions in her own best interest.”

Elena beamed.  “You’re the best.”

“I have something for you.”

“Oh?”

He reached into his pocket and fastened the necklace around her neck.   “I hope you don't think this is too soon or too weird, but... I wanted you to have this”

“Oh, my God, it's beautiful.”

“It's something that I've had forever, and, uh, I've never wanted to give it to anyone until now. I'd very much like it if you'd wear it for me.  I meant to give it to you before the game, but I was hoping it could be a celebratory thing.”

“Thank you.”  She said sincerely.  “What is that I smell?”

“Vervain.  It’s an herb.”

“I’ve never smelled anything quite like it.  It’s pretty.  I–”  She turned toward a commotion in the parking lot.  “Oh no.”

Stefan could see the problem instantly.  The Lockwood boy had managed to start a fight with Elena’s little brother.  "You haven't even visited Vicki in the hospital.  You don't deserve her."

Tyler scoffed.  "She's asleep dude.  She doens't even know that sit there wanking by her side every day."

"Tyler, knock it off.  That's my sister you're talking about."  Matt shouted to the two boys.

He normally wouldn’t have intervened, especially when Tyler already hated him, but as Jeremy grabbed a broken bottle, he threw Tyler out of the way.  The bottle sliced into his palm and he heard Elena scream.  " _Jeremy!_  Stop!"

The pain was not as sharp as it would have been had he been human.  Being a vampire gave him some protection.  Matt was holding back Tyler before he could get fully back on his feet.  Elena had run to Jeremy, grabbing the bottle from his hand.  “Jeremy, what the hell?”

“He started it.”

“You’re _drunk_.”  Her voice was controlled.  Elena was trying to draw as few new spectators as possible.

So?”

“You’re impossible.  Go home.  We can talk later and don’t think Jenna won’t have something to say too.”  Her brother stalked away and Matt managed to drag Tyler away, sparing an apologetic look for Stefan.  Elena ran to him as soon as her brother got far enough away.  “Stefan, are you okay?  Here, let me see.”

He hid the wound that had already completely healed.  “I’m fine Elena.”

“Will you be able to practice?  Here, let me see.”  She grabbed his hand and he let her force it open, knowing that to resist would only make her more suspicious.  Elena’s eyes widened in astonishment.  “Wait.  But I saw the glass cut your hand.  It was…”

“He missed.  It’s not my blood.  It’s fine.”  He promised, not knowing how to make her drop the issue.

“But I _saw_ it.”

“Elena,” he kissed her.  “Go see to your brother.  I’m fine.  You can see that for yourself.  Go home.  Be safe.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She set her jaw stubbornly, but then nodded anyway.  “Alright.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”

As he watched her walk away all her could do was shake his head.  He’d managed to make her angry, but there was no way around it.  He just wished he could tell her the truth.

 


	6. Chapter 6

Damon was about to head out, suit on a hanger in his hand, when Stefan’s voice caught his attention.  “Thanks Zach.  I appreciate the intel.”

“Oooh, Zach’s on the phone?!”  Damon put on his best excited child voice.  “I wanna talk!”  He took the phone from his brother and ducked Stefan’s shove.

“Hi Zach.  Hope you’re well in no-where-no-one-knows-ville.  Yeah, Stefan’s just find.  You know I wouldn’t ever let anything happen to your precious favorite.  Why are you calling?”  Without so much as a word Zach hung up.  Damon tossed the phone over his shoulder in annoyance; it cracked against the floor.

“So why _is_ good old Zach calling, Brother?”

“It’s none of your business.”

“Plotting doesn’t suit you, Stef.”  He reached out to ruffle Stefan’s hair, but his brother sidestepped.  “It’s very much my thing.”

“Just promise you’ll leave Elena alone.”

“Promise I’ll leave her alone and you’ll tell me?”

“No.”

“Well then I guess I’m off to drain your girlfriend.  Brb.”  He saw Stefan’s confused stare.  “The means “be right back” for those of you keeping track at home.  Caroline might be utterly dull and endlessly talkative, but she has her uses.’

Stefan picked up the pieces of the phone.  “Don’t hurt her either Damon.” 

“And why do you seem to think I’m going to kill everyone within the boundaries of dear old Mystic Falls?”

“Because I’ve met you.”

“You know, as fun as this talk has been, I’m meeting my date before the Founder’s Ball today.”

Stefan smirked.  “What slutty college student did you find to take with you?”

“Miss Elizabeth Forbes’ daughter; at her own bequest no less.”            Damon’s words wiped the smirk for Stefan’s face.  “You’re taking Caroline?”

“The one and only.”

“You can’t compel everyone Damon.  They’re not puppets.  They’re people.”

“Oh poor naïve Stefan.  You think I had to compel them?”

Damon could hear his brother’s teeth grinding from across the room.  “You didn’t?”

“I haven’t compelled a single person since I got to this sleepy town.  All that you’ve seen before you is my own charm.”

“Lovely.”

“I will see you and Elena tonight.”  He grinned his most predatory grin.  “Have I told you that you make such a cute couple?  I could just eat you up.”  Stefan’s sound of disgust followed him out the door.

 

“Damon,” Caroline opened the door breathlessly.

“Good morning, lovely lady.”

“Can I show you my dress?” 

It had been so easy to get her to fall for him.  As he’d told Stefan, he truly hadn’t needed to compel her.  “Of course.”

“Wait here then.  I’ll be right back.”

He listened to Caroline change through the door and as she had finished zipping the dress, he gently opened the door.  Caroline whirled to face him.  “ _Damon_!”

He crossed to her and wrapped his hands around her waist.  Her eyes lit up, despite her protests.  The girl was so lonely it had been easy to worm his way into her heart.  She was so often neglected by her friends all he had to do was pretend to listen, and that was easy.  “You look lovely.”  The dress was yellow, not exactly flattering, but she didn’t need to know that.

“What are you doing in my room?  What if I hadn’t been dressed?”

He smiled his most charming smile.  “And would that have been a problem?”

“Well…I mean…you’re the vice principal and…”  He cut off her words with his lips and she responded eagerly.

“And does that matter?”

“No,” she whispered and he kissed her hand.

“Good.  Now, don’t scream.  You won’t remember what I’m about to do.”  Damon hadn’t compelled anyone in Mystic Falls, _yet_.

It had been weeks, since that Vicki girl, since he’d drank from a live human.  Damon sank his fangs into Caroline’s wrist.  Her blood was delicious, though blood always tasted better when he’d been abstaining.  He pulled away reluctantly.  If he killed the girl there’d be questions, and he’d no longer have an easy source of fresh blood.

 

“Caroline!  You look smashing!  The yellow is so flattering and such a beautiful corsage.”  Damon rolled his eyes.  Carol Lockwood greeted them at the door, martini in hand.  “And Damon, you’re looking well yourself.”

He took her hand as it passed and kissed it; Caroline looked at him sideways, jealousy in her eyes.  “Not half so well as you.”

“You’re such a flatterer.  Please, come in, come in.”

Damon stepped into the house with a nod to Carol.  He had actually been in the house a number of times for council meetings, but waiting was force of habit deeply instilled.  “I was hoping to see your heritage collection.”

“Of course!  It’s so nice to see people interested.”  She rested her hand drunkenly on Damon’s shoulder.  Caroline glared at her.  “The collection can be viewed upstairs.”

He patted Carol’s hand and removed it gently and eyed the martini glass.  “Thank you Carol.  Would you like to get a drink?”

“I’d love that.”

“If you’re discrete about it, I’ll slip you one too,” he whispered in Caroline’s ear.

“I do discrete famously.”  Her eyes found her mother.  “I’ll be right back.”

Damon nodded and grabbed two glasses from a passing butler.  “For you Carol.”

“Why thank you Damon.  You are _such_ a gentleman.  Will you be joining us for the Council meeting later?” 

“Yes, I’m happy to join you.”

Carol was facing the door and her face lit up in interest.  Damon followed his gaze and saw his brother and Elena arrive.  “Stefan is so very good for Elena.  The entire town has been so worried for her.”

“Yeah, my brother’s something special alright.”

He watched as the mayor invited his brother into the mansion, but his eyes were on Elena.  She was in a flattering, strapless gown.  The orange and pink shimmered in the modern lighting. He felt his heart, which had so long belonged to Katherine, stir.  Why had she chosen Stefan?  Everyone always chose Stefan.  She kissed Stefan on the cheek and Damon knew he failed to hide his grimace.

Shaking his head, he climbed the stairs.  It was time to fulfill his actual purpose for attending the Founder’s Ball; his purpose for returning to Mystic Falls in the first place.  Let Stefan keep his little Elena.  It was him who would win the real prize.

He walked through the collection.  There were so many relics of times long gone; times he would rather forget.  To his surprise, he found a few Salvatore antiques among the vast assortment.  His father’s pipe was among the surviving artifacts.  His father had been partial to cigars, but that pipe had never been far from him.  The memories the item disturbed in him made him uncomfortable, even over a century later.

It had not been easy growing up on the Salvatore house.  The pressure on him had been intense and he had never proven worthy of it.  Giuseppe Salvatore had loved his younger brother; the respectful, sincere, perfect Stefan.  But, to this day, Stefan still didn’t realize how much Damon had protected him.

Next to the pipe was an item that stopped Damon in his tracks.  It was a necklace, not the one he was looking for, but one that was significant nonetheless.  “Mother,” he muttered under his breath.

“It’s pretty.”  Elena’s voice startled him.  He must have been well and truly deep in his thoughts for her to be able to sneak up on him.

“It used to be my mother’s.”  The words were out before he realized how telling they were.  “It was passed down through her family.  I thought it was buried with her.”

“I’m sure that Mrs. Lockwood would give it back to you.”

“I don’t intend to ask.”  He reached out and fingered the necklace, running the chain over his fingers.

“Oh…I don’t think you should…”

“What?  Take what’s mine?”

“No, I don’t mean that.”  Elena had taken a few more steps towards him.  She stood near enough that Damon could smell the body wash she used; orange, mandarin, something.  “I just mean that there are better ways.”

“Probably,” he grinned, feeling more himself. 

He strolled into the next room and Elena followed him.  “So are you _with_ Caroline?”

He laughed, “No.  She’s been helping me with a heritage project and her mother asked me to accompany her to the dance.”

“Why were you together the other night then?”

“Same heritage project.  She talks more than I can listen.”

“What exactly are you looking for in all this research?”  He turned to look at her and saw the plain wooden box resting on a raised platform to her left.

“I’m looking for this.”  He gestured.  “It once belonged to the Salvatores.  The Lockwoods seem to have a great number of things that once belonged to my family.”

“I’m sure they’ll give them back if you ask,” Elena said quickly.  Damon nodded absently, looking at the box.  It wasn’t until he glanced back at Elena that he realized how close he had drifted to her.

She looked up into his eyes and he couldn’t look away.  He rested a hand on her shoulder and leaned forward, ignoring that it was a bad idea.  His lips were no more than an inch from hers when she turned aside, but he didn’t budge. “I’m with your brother, Damon.  I’m sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry.”  He said softly, almost meaning it. He caught her eyes, still close to his, and summoned his power.  “Forget it happened.”

Damon watched carefully for the signs that his compellation had taken.  There were none of them.  She just studied him carefully, with pity in her eyes.  “I will.”

He pulled away then, frustrated that compelling her hadn’t worked.  Stefan had to have something to do with it.  He surveyed her and noticed a new necklace hanging around her neck.  “That’s pretty,” he fingered it, ignoring their shared intimate moment seconds before.  “Where did you get it?”

She smiled half-heartedly.  “Stefan gave it to me a few days ago.”  Damon nodded and turned away.  Of course Stefan had given her vervain to wear.  Why hadn’t he expected that?  “Damon, look.”

He turned to follow her stare.  “What is it?  One of the Lockwoods sober?”

“Be nice.”  She admonished.  “The founding families in Mystic Falls welcomes you to the inaugural founder's council celebration." Wow, look, it's the original guest registry. Look at all these familiar names—Sheriff William Forbes, Mayor Benjamin Lockwood. Is that Damon Salvatore? And, Stefan Salvatore?”

As she spoke, he drifted toward the box, fished the necklace out, and pocketed it.  She turned to him as she finished.  “Yes, those are the original Salvatore brothers. Our ancestors. Tragic story, actually.

“We don't need to bore them with stories of the past.”  Stefan entered the room and wrapped his arms around Elena.  The motions provoked jealousy in him, like similar ones in the 1860s.

Elena turned in her boyfriend’s arms.  “It's not boring, Stefan. I'd love to hear more about your family.”

“Well, I'm bored. I want to dance.”  Caroline broke in.  “Damon, will you dance with me?”

“I’m sorry Caroline.”  He tried to look apologetic, but wasn’t sure that he hadn’t achieved relieved instead.  “I’m afraid I have matters I must discuss with the Lockwoods and your mother.”

“About the case she’s working today?”

“That’s the one.”  He bowed low to the ladies.  “Perhaps Stefan would be willing to dance with you, Caroline.  I bid you adieu.”

He sauntered down the stairs, happy with his triumph.  Conveniently, both Lockwoods stood off to the side in a private conference with the sheriff.  He approached them.  “Did you get the Gilbert watch from Elena?”  The mayor asked of his wife.

“She claims it’s packed away in her family’s things.”  Carol was flushed and frustrated.

Damon made his presence known and the three turned to him.  “Damon, good to see you.”  Richard Lockwood held out his hand.

“Good to see you.”  Damon shook it vigorously.  “I don’t mean to barge in, but were you talking about the watch I think you were?”

"We were.”  Carol took another sip of her drink.  “Elena didn’t include it in the loaned items.”

“That’s odd.”

“Odd, why?”  Liz asked.

“Because I’ve seen it.  I should be able to get it for us.”

“Good.  We’re going to need it.”  Liz said. “Three bodies drained of blood?  We’re _really_ going to need it.”

Damon smiled.  “Happy to help.”

“And what a help you’ve been.”  Carol patted him on the shoulder and Richard glared at her.  Damon sidestepped her affections and placed her hand on her husband’s shoulder.  That was one mess he wasn’t about to throw himself in the middle of.

“Is my daughter too much of a handful?”  Liz asked him fretfully.

“Not remotely.  It takes more than a talented teenager to fluster me.”  He grinned.  “And  I should be getting back to her.”

He ducked out.  It’d been fortunate that he had caught that conversation.  A compass able to find vampires wasn’t something he wanted in the hands of the Founder’s Council.  “His help has been invaluable since he came to Mystic Falls.”  Richard said to the others as Damon walked away.

“We’re very lucky to have Salvatores back in town.  They should certainly be able to help with the little _problem_ we’ve been having lately.”  The sheriff agreed.

He stalked out of the house and toward the driveway.  Feet pounded the gravel behind him, and he whirled to see who was following him.  “There is something seriously wrong with you. You stay away from Caroline or I will go straight to the sheriff. You got it? Stay away from her.”  Elena slapped him and he hardened his jaw angrily.  Before he could even respond, she spun and ran away.  Damon had more important things to worry about than following her.

Elena must have just been with Caroline.  He scanned the area and saw no sign of her.  Quickly, he made his way back through the mansion, searching each room thoroughly.  He found her outside the comfort room.  “Come with me,” he compelled her angrily.

They were out on the lawn before he spoke again.  She showed wisdom enough to keep completely quit until they were out of earshot.  “She took it off and I got flustered, okay?! I didn't know what to say. But I swear, okay, I did not tell her. I just told her that you didn't mean to hurt me.”

“Relax Caroline, relax.”

“You’re not going to hurt me?”  There were tears in the girl’s eyes and Damon smiled.

“Not hurt you, now.”  This joke never got old.  “Just maybe kill you a little.”

He sank his teeth into her neck.  This might take some explaining to the sheriff, but nothing he couldn’t handle.  Caroline screamed and it blended into the party noise in the background.  He had barely taken any blood, when blinding pain shot through his body.  His brother had dosed the girl with vervain.

He crumpled to the ground, the crystal he had worked so hard to find spilled out of his pocket.  “You know, I couldn't spike your drink... So I spiked hers.”  Stefan stood over him, an insufferable smirk on his face.


	7. Chapter 7

“Stefan, stop tormenting me.  Give me my ring back and let me out of here!”  Damon cursed how weak his own voice sounded to him.

Surprisingly, Stefan’s face appeared through the bars.  “You’re a danger to everyone in this town.  It’s better this way.”

“I killed two campers, drained a druggie, and took a bit from Caroline.  I’ve been on my best behavior.  Yet here I am.”

Stefan shook his head.  “That’s just it, Damon.  You’ve been on your best behavior and two people are still dead, one only recently woke up from a coma, and the other is traumatized.”

“So the druggie’s awake?  She must have an interesting story to tell.”  He forced a smile.

“Is this a joke to you?  They could find out about us.”

“At the moment, this whole mess is your problem.  They could find out about _you_.  Let me out and I’ll help you out with the delinquent.”

“That delinquent’s name is Vicki, and I took care of it.”

“Oh-ho, you took care of it?  Since we all know that when you compel someone it sticks like Teflon.”

Stefan glared at him.  “It’ll be fine.”

“You must be scared of me, little brother; keeping me starving _and_ drugged.  Where’d you get the vervain?”  Damon’s eyes widened.  “That’s what Zach was calling about.  He was worried about you and clued you in.”

“Surprise,” his brother said flatly.  “I know how curious you were.”

“Oh and he’s funny too now.”  Stefan turned to leave.  “Wait, where are you going?  You can’t do this to me after everything I’ve done for you, Stefan!”

“After all you’ve done for me?”  Stefan grabbed the bars with both hands and rattled them.  “You mean how you bit my friend, traumatized my girlfriend, nearly killed Jeremy’s girlfriend?  And that’s all in the last month!  You’ve done plenty _to_ me, Damon.  Think of this as your reward.  You’ve never done anything _for_ me in your entire life.”

His Brother stalked away, leaving Damon alone again.  “I’ve done plenty for you, Stef.  I just wish you remembered.”

 

“No, Father.  It was me. I shouldn’t have taken the scones.”  Damon repeated for the third time.  The scones had been meant for his mother’s high tea with the other Founding Ladies.

“As if I ever had any doubt of that.”  Giuseppe took the cigar he was smoking and looked at it speculatively.  Damon knew what was coming.  His father drove the still hot cigar into his arm.  He screamed; it wasn’t that he wanted to, but he couldn’t hold it back.  The door to the study pulled shut and Damon knew his brother had fled from where he was spying, probably in tears.  At least Stefan was safe now.

Giuseppe snapped the belt in his hand menacingly.   “I’m sorry Father.”

“No more smart mouth from you?”  His Father reached for his shirt, but Damon couldn’t resist backing away.  “You’re only making this harder on yourself.”  Giuseppe caught his arm and twisted it behind his back. 

Damon cried out in pain.  “ _Please_.  I’m sorry!”

His father stripped the shirt from him, taking care not to rip the expensive linen.  “Stay still boy.”

Damon bent over a chair, knowing what was coming.  The first lash licked into his skin.  He fought the pain, biting his tongue deeply.  His Father brought down the belt again and Damon couldn’t suppress the scream this time.  Again and again his father lashed him and every time he cried out.

His father pulled back to swing the belt again and the door to the study was flung open.  “Giuseppe, stop!”  Damon’s mother flung himself at her husband, catching his arm.

“Mary, what are you doing?”  His father did not fling his wife aside, as many husbands would have.  Giuseppe Salvatore’s violence was reserved for his only son.

“Damon, Damon,” his mother wrapped her arms around him carefully.  It was not the first time she had saved him from such a beating.  Through his blurred vision, he could see Stefan standing in the doorway, the expected tears in his eyes.

Damon blinked hard, coming back into full consciousness.  His eyesight had grown fuzzy in the present day, as it had then.  The cocktail of vervain and starvation was causing him to hallucinate.  That wasn’t the first one he’d had in the past day. 

* * *

 

“Elena!  Where have you been?”  Bonnie stood near the carwash parking lot, her arms wrapped around herself.

Elena wasn’t sure what was wrong but she ran to her best friend and threw her arms around her.  “Sorry, Bon.  I had to take care of stuff about Stefan.”  Her best friend shook trembled.  “What’s wrong?”

“My Grams is right…”

“What happened?  Are you alright?”

“I’m okay.  I guess.”  Bonnie pulled away and shrugged.  “I set Tiki’s car on fire.”

“You what?  How?”

“I just thought about it really hard.  She just made me so mad!”

“And the car lit on fire?” 

Bonnie nodded.  “Stefan helped me; calmed me down.”

“Where is he now?”  Elena surveyed the area.

“I don’t know.  I think he went to look for you.”

Elena put her hand on Bonnie’s shoulder.  “Do you think he can help?”

“Maybe?  I think he knows something.”

“Then let’s stop by his house.  He’s bound to go back there eventually.”  Elena pulled Bonnie to her car.

“Won’t Damon be there?”

Elena bit her lower lip.  “Stefan said he took care of him.  I trust him.”

“And I trust you and I’m not sure what else to do, so let’s go.”

The drive to the Salvatore Boarding House was becoming increasingly familiar.  Elena pulled into the driveway as the sun was beginning to set, the tires crunching on the gravel.  She and Bonnie knocked on the door.  When no one responded, Elena opened the door.  “Are you sure we should just walk right in?”

 “Stefan’s never seems to mind.”  Elena glanced around.  “Stefan?  Stefan?  Are you here?”

“Doesn’t look like it.”  Bonnie spun toward the door.  “Maybe we should go.  Something feels off.”

“Feels off how?”

“There’s something going on here…”

“Damon?”

Bonnie’s face contorted, thinking it over.  “Yes, but not like with Caroline.”

“What then?”

Bonnie stepped toward a door like a sleepwalker.  “It’s this way.”

Elena followed Bonnie down the stairs.  “Bonnie?”  Her friend didn’t respond.  “Bonnie?!  You’re scaring me.”

Her friend didn’t respond.  She reached the basement and turned down the hallway.  There was a wooden door set midway down the hall.  “Let me out of here, Stefan.  And give me back my ring while you’re at it.”

“Damon?”  Elena wasn’t positive she recognized the hoarse voice.

“ _Elena?_   Elena, help me.”

She rushed past Bonnie and peered through the opening in the door.  “When Stefan said ‘taken care of’ he meant _this_?”

“My brother’s not who you think he is.”  He pushed himself weakly in the direction of the door.  “Let me out.”

“I don’t have a key…”  She began, not sure what to do.

Bonnie wedged herself beside Elena.  “And besides, why should we let you out?  You _bit_ Caroline.  What were you _thinking_?”

“Please?”  The word looked as if it surprised Damon.  “Just let me out of here and I’ll explain.”

Elena crossed her arms.  “Explain now, Damon.”

“None of this is what you think.”  He had worked his way slowly across the room and pulled himself to stand facing the two girls.  “I’m doing what’s in my nature.  Stefan’s the unnatural one.  Stefan’s the one who’s been lying to you.”

“You’re not making sense.”  Bonnie practically spat.

“Wait...oh God…”  Elena’s eyes widened.

Damon nodded encouragingly.  “See.  It all makes sense.”

Elena clutched her friend’s arm.  “This morning Vicki woke up and I was talking to Matt at the carwash and he said she’d mentioned _vampires_.”

“Vampires?  Are you crazy?”

“Is it any more crazy than you actually turning out to be a witch?”

“A witch?”  Damon turned to Bonnie curiously.  “A Bennett witch?”

“So?”

“Then you can unlock the door.”

“Yes, but you still haven’t given me one reason.”  Bonnie squeezed Elena’s hand hard.  “Besides, I’m not sure I can even do it.”

“Bonnie, you can if you just try.  I guarantee it.”  Damon turned to plead with Elena.  “I will tell you everything that Stefan has kept from you.  Just let me out.  _Please_ , Elena.”

“Do it, Bonnie.”  Elena told her.

“Are you crazy too?!”

“I don’t think he’s strong enough to hurt us.  Just do it.  I need to know what’s going on.”  She pleaded with Bonnie and her friend reluctantly nodded.

“I’ll do it.”  She turned to the lock, glaring at it.  “That is, if I can just figure out how to unlock this thing.”

“Focus.”  Damon croaked.

“Yeah, because your telling me to focus is going to help so much.”  Bonnie hissed back.  She glared at the lock again. “I can’t do it.”

Elena put her hand back on her friend’s shoulder.  “You got this Bon.”

Bonnie held out a hand.  “Just work!”  There was a cracking noises and the door ripped itself off its hinges.  It blew both of them backwards into the wall.  Bonnie’s head hit the wall hard and she cried out.  She took the brunt of the explosion.  Elena hit the wall hard too, knocking the breath out of her. 

She held onto her consciousness just long enough to see Damon stumble out of the cell.  “Got to thank little-miss-witchy for her lack of control.  And to think I was actually going to keep my word for once.  Oh well, see you later girls.”


	8. Chapter 8

Stefan ran through the open front door.  “Shit.”  

In panic, Stefan looked at his phone.  Elena had texted him twice looking for him.  He dialed her number frantically and heard her ring tone sound from heart-stoppingly near.  He rushed into the basement and the site sent a chill through him.  The scent of human blood greeted his nose and his body responded viscerally.  The door was in pieces, scattered and splintered around two female figures he had grown to know quite well.  “Elena! No, no, no.”

Not wasting any time, Stefan checked Elena’s breathing and heartbeat.  The grip that had come over his own heart loosened when he realized they were normal.  She most likely had a mild concussion and splinters from the door had caused gashes, but nothing that wouldn’t heal.  Stefan didn’t want to leave Elena for a second, but he knew he had to check Bonnie.  Her breathing was slower, her heartbeat weaker.  In addition to obvious head damage, the largest part of the door had pinned her to the wall.

He pushed it off her as gently as he could.  It fell into the wreckage with a crash and Elena stirred behind him.  “Stefan?”

He spun back to his girlfriend.  “Elena, let’s get you upstairs; somewhere more comfortable.”

She grabbed his arm and levered herself into a sitting position.  “No.  Help Bonnie first.”

“She has a head injury.  We shouldn’t move her.  What happened?  What did Damon do?”

Elena raised her stare to meet his for the first time that night.  Her eyes widened infinitesimally and she scooted backwards as fast as she could.  “ _No_.  Get away from me!”

“What did Damon do?”

“He said that you’re…vampires.”  She looked at him with true fright in her eyes and Stefan’s heart tugged at him painfully.  He didn’t know how to respond.  “So it’s true then?”

He nodded.  “Yes.”

“And you didn’t tell me?  You were just going to keep me in the dark forever?!”

“I didn’t know how to tell you, Elena.  Some vampires take on human followers, girlfriends, lovers, but I never have.”

“You could have killed me.  Have you hurt me and I just don’t remember?” Elena’s voice rose in pitch.  “What did you _do_ to me, Stefan?!”

“Nothing.”  He inched toward her and she shuddered.  “Please, I _swear_ , nothing.”

“Why should I believe you?”  She buried her face in her bent knees.

“Because I love you, Elena.  I love you.  I would never hurt you.”

She raised her head again.  “How can I believe you?  I don’t know anything about you.”

“Look around you.  There’s not a small bit of your and Bonnie’s blood here.  I have it under control.”  He glanced down at his own hands.  They were smeared with Elena’s blood.  He ground his teeth, wishing her hadn’t.  Against his will, he felt his face begin to change.

“Under control?!”  Surprisingly, Elena didn’t scream.  If anything her face had hardened into anger.  “That doesn’t look like you’re under control.”

 He counted to ten, taking deep breaths.  His face changed back, but the damage had already been done.  “I know you don’t believe me, but I won’t hurt you.  I haven’t fed since last night.  I was going to go hunting after I checked on Damon.”

“Hunting people?”

 “No.”  Stefan shook his head violently.  “I don’t drink people.”

“Then what?  Blood bags?”

“I drink animals.”  During their conversation, Stefan had noticed that Elena had pulled out her cellphone.  It took fighting all his instincts to not take it from her right then and there.  He had already broken enough of her trust for one night.  “Elena, please don’t.”

She glared at him.  “Bonnie needs help.  She needs an ambulance.  I’m calling for help.”

She hit a number on the keypad and he held a hand out to her.  “Wait, don’t.  I can help her.  Faster and easier than the hospital.  Let me show me.  I know you don’t trust me anymore, and with good reason, but will you trust me this one time?”

“I’m not going to play with Bonnie’s life.”  She deliberately hit another button.

“Please, Elena.  Please let me help.  If it doesn’t work, I’ll take her to the hospital myself.”

She met his eyes fearlessly.  “Do it.  But if it doesn’t work _I’m_ taking her to the hospital and you will leave Mystic Falls forever.”

Not wasting a moment he bit his wrist and thrust it to Bonnie’s lips.  “Stefan!  What are you doing?”

“Trust me Elena.  My blood will be able to heal her.  Just give me ten minutes.”

“Ten minutes.”  She said grudgingly.

Stefan had to pour the blood down Bonnie’s throat.  She was still unconscious and wouldn’t swallow.  He kept his wrist to her lips up he heard her heartbeat stabilize and then pulled it away. 

Unsurprisingly, he’d managed to make quite a mess.  With an inward sigh, he tore a strip off the bottom of his shirt and wiped Bonnie’s face and then his arm.  It was only when he was free of blood that he turned back to Elena.

“So Jeremy did cut your hand with a bottle that night?”

“He did.  I’m sorry to lie to you.”

“You lied to me about everything, Stefan.”

He moved toward her again, and she didn’t flinch.  “I didn’t lie about my feelings.  I would never lie to you about that.”  Her brows knit and his curiosity was piqued.  “Elena?”

“You lied to me.  Damon never did.”

Cold shock washed over him.  “Elena, please, he’s just trying to get between us.”

“Why would he do that, Stefan? He’s never been anything but polite and friendly to me.”

“You can’t trust him, Elena.”  She made a noise of indignation and he hurried to continue.  “Maybe you can’t trust me either, but please, just let me explain.”

“I’m listening.”

“The day we were both turned, Damon vowed to make my life a living hell.”  He paused, trying to get his bearings in the story.

“Why?”

“He hates me.”  He sighed and noted that Bonnie’s breathing had stabilized.  “We loved the same woman.”

“Katherine.”

“Yes, Katherine.  She was a guest of our family and we both fell for her, as she intended.  She compelled me, which I realized after I’d been turned.  She used me against my will and made me believe I was madly in love with her.  It ruined Damon’s life, because Katherine had never needed to compel him.  Damon loved Katherine and still does.”

“This was…how long ago?”

“Over a hundred and fifty years ago.”  Elena’s mouth gaped open slightly.  “Katherine was the one who sired us.”

“Sired you?”

“Made us.  Turned us into vampires.  It was her plan all along.”

“I don’t understand.  Damon hates you because you got turned with him?”

“Yes, I think in part.  But he hates me for making him live.”  He looked at Elena sadly, knowing she would despise him for being the cause of two more vampires in the world.

“But, why wouldn’t you want him to live?”

“Elena, when a new vampire is turned they need to feed on a human’s blood, or they will die.  _I_ made Damon feed.  He was going to take the noble way out and I ruined it for him.  And he has ruined my life ever since.  He doesn’t live by a moral code anymore.  I’m the one who made him who he is.”

“So biting Caroline and Vicki?”

“Tame for him.  To be a vampire, you have to fight the bloodlust every day, every hour, every moment of you existence.  To Damon, and to most every vampire, it’s just not worth it.”

 Bonnie stirred behind him and he rushed to her.  Her eyes fluttered open.  “Bonnie!”  Elena scrambled over to them.

“I’m going to get you somewhere more comfortable.  Hold on.”  He scooped her into his arms and she didn’t resist.  “Elena, I’ll come back for you.”

“Don’t bother,” she pushed herself into a standing position using the wall. “I can make it.”

He laid Bonnie on the couch and Elena took a seat next to her, making it clear that there was no room for him.  Pouring himself a drink, he took one of the arm chairs.  “Why are you here?  Where’s Damon?”  Bonnie asked her voice shaky.

“I came to check in on him.  I found the two of you unconscious next to the wreckage of Damon’s former cell door.”

“You locked him up.”

Stefan nodded.  “I did.”

“I knew there was something wrong about the two of you.  I knew since the first time I touched you.”  Bonnie laid her head in Elena’s lap and his girlfriend squeezed her shoulder encouragingly.

“And you weren’t wrong.  You were right to be wary of us.”

Bonnie scowled at him.  “You’re vampires.”  Stefan held both hands out appeasingly, unsure what to say.  “But you go out in daylight.  Isn’t that just a bit over-powered?”

He couldn’t help but laugh.  “Perhaps.”  He held up his hand, indicating his ring with the other.  “These rings keeps us safe from the sun.  Actually, one of your ancestors made them for us.”

“One of my ancestors?”

“Yes.  An incredibly powerful witch: Emily Bennett.”

“I…I had no idea.”

“And that was the point.  Supernatural people try to keep a low profile.”  He surveyed them.  “Will you tell me what happened earlier with Damon?”

The girls looked at each other and Elena nodded.  “Earlier I snuck off during the carwash to do some research.  What that man said at the Grill really spooked me and then Matt mentioned that Vicki had mentioned vampires…”

Stefan’s eyes widened in surprise.  “So you weren’t far off from coming to this conclusion on your own.”

Elena nodded.  “And when I got back to the carwash Bonnie was all shaken up because she’d set Tiki’s car on fire, which you already know, because she said that you might be able to help her.”

“And so you came looking for me here.”  Stefan guessed.

Elena nodded again.  “Yeah, but you weren’t here.  We were going to leave, but Bonnie sensed something in the basement, so we checked it out–”

“And found Damon.”

“Stefan, stop that.  You wanted us to tell you, so be quiet.”  Elena’s annoyance was so ordinary, so normal, that Stefan had to smile.  “We found Damon where you locked him up.  He asked us to release him, but we didn’t have the key.  He told us what both of you were and everything just made sense.  So Bonnie tried to use magic to unlock the door.”

“I may have overdone it a bit.”  Bonnie smiled weakly.

“You need training, Bonnie.”  He said seriously.  “That explosion could have killed you.  It nearly did if I hadn’t healed you.”

“You _healed_ me?”

Stefan held up his wrist, well-healed by that point.  “Vampire blood.”

“I…eww…I drank that?”

“You needed it to heal.  You had major head trauma.”  He took a sip of the bourbon.  “So none of the damage was done by Damon?”

Elena shook her head.  “No.”

“And it looks like he didn’t touch you even after he escape.”  He mused.  “Even though he was starving.”

“So?”  Bonnie asked.

“You don’t know Damon like I do.  He doesn’t have compunctions over killing the injured or unconscious, and in his weakened state he should have killed you.”

“ _Should_?”  Elena’s voice was cold.

“Normally would have.”  Stefan corrected.

“So what does that mean?”  Elena’s stare penetrated him.

“It means he cares for you more than I realized.  He cares for you enough to spare your friend, someone who means less than nothing to him.”

“Oh.  But why me?  We barely know each other.”

“He said once that you looked like Katherine, but that’s not the full truth.  You could be her twin.”

Elena shuddered.  “So he’s interested in me because I’m like his long-lost love?”

“Maybe,” Stefan allowed, “But you’re _not_ like her.  Physically yes, but not in any other way.”

He stared at her intently, worried about her reaction to everything that had happened.  He would give anything not to lose her.  Elena looked away from his gaze and he let his eyes drop to his glass.  This had been bound to happen eventually, and perhaps it was lucky that Damon had taken in an interest.  If he hadn’t she would never have been alive anymore.

Bonnie maneuvered into a sitting position, clearly annoyed and confused.  “So the two of you can go out in sun?  You don’t sparkle though.”

He scoffed.  “Real vampires don’t sparkle.”

Elena arched her eyebrows.  “So what does apply to _real_ vampires?  Crucifixes?  Churches?”

“Decorative.  Enterable.”  Stefan had found that when humans did find out about vampires, playing this game became inevitable.

“Holy water?”

“Drinkable.”

“Mirrors?”

“Myth.”

“You said you don't kill to survive.”  Elena repeated mostly for Bonnie’s benefit, he suspected.

“I drink animals.  Damon drinks people.  The downside to the animal blood is that I’m weaker than a vampire who drinks human blood to survive.”

“Why doesn’t Vicki remember anything more than vampires?”  Elena asked curiously.

Stefan heaved a sigh.  “That’s a good example of my weakness from drinking animal blood.  I tried to compel her to forget the whole incident, but I clearly wasn’t able to wipe everything.”

“Compel?”  Bonnie’s voice was becoming sharper.

“Compel, glamour, mind-control; all of them are just words for a power than vampires possess.  If humans look into our eyes, we can compel them to do whatever we want.”  Elena looked at him in shock.  “But we have control of when we use it.  I’ve never compelled you, either of you.  In fact, that’s why I gave you the necklace.  It protects you from being compelled.”

“How?”  Elena asked flatly.

“The herb I mentioned, vervain, it is like a poison to vampires.  If we drink it we become incapacitated.  If a human wears it, we can’t glamour them.”  Bonnie glared at him.  “We can get you, and Caroline, and all your friends them.”

“Good.”

“I can go get the vervain now if you want.  I’ll be–”  His phone rang and he glanced at the caller ID: Damon.  He answered, “Where are you, Damon?”

“Oh good, you found my surprise.”  Damon sounded like his normal self and Stefan cursed inwardly.

“You’re losing your touch, Damon.  They’re both still alive.  No thanks to you.”  Both girls scowled at him and he gestured apologetically at them.

“You know the thrill is always in the chase, Brother.”

“And you’re strong enough to chase something right now?”  He asked skeptically.

“Well right now I think could chase down just about anything.  No thanks to you, I might add.”

“What did you do?  Where are you?”

“You can know that information when you give me back my ring.”

“Fine.  I’ll get it and bring it to you.  Where are you?”

“Just listen for the sizzling.”

Before he could say anything else, Damon hung up the phone and he hurled his across the room.  It shattered gratifyingly against the wall.  Elena winced.  “Don’t you need that?”

“I’ll get another one.”  He tried to keep his voice level.  “I need to get Damon’s ring back to him.  I’ll drop you both off at your homes.”

“Can you take me to my Grams’ instead?”  Bonnie asked hesitantly and Stefan nodded.

“And I’m going with you.”  Elena eyed him.  “We still have a lot to talk about.”

“Fine.”  He agreed.  “But I’m taking you home before I bring the ring to Damon.”

 “Alright.”

 

Elena watched the sun rising with resignation.  They stood in the woods of what Stefan said used to be the Salvatore lands.  Elena looked through her messages.  There were three from Jenna.  “We’ve been up all night.  Guess I’m glad it’s a Sunday.  Jenna’s going to kill me.”

“If you’ve changed your mind, I can take you home now instead.”  Stefan offered; he had been his perfect self since she had realized he was a vampire.  Maybe it wasn’t such an impossible thing after all.

“And face angry Jenna? No, I want to talk.”

“What would you like to talk about?  I hear that last football game went well.”

Elena found herself smiling despite the circumstances.  “You would know.”

“There’s a lot to tell you Elena.  Where should I start?”

“The beginning?”  She teased gently.

“Well, I told you some about Katherine…”

“No, before then.  When were you born?”

 “November 5th, 1847.”

 Elena fought her shock.  “And when did you…you know?”

“When was I turned?”  Stefan rooted through the ruin of a building while she watched curiously.

“Yes.”

“December 17th, 1864.”

“So that makes you…”

“One hundred and sixty-three, recently.”  Stefan finally found what he was looking for and held up the ring in triumph.

“Why are you giving it back to him?”

“I can’t trick him into drinking vervain again and I can’t exactly overpower him.  I’d prefer not to royally piss him off more than I already have.”

Elena nodded.  “Was he always like this?”

“No.”  Stefan looked at her sadly.  “It’s easier to pretend he’s always been like this, but he was the best brother anyone could ask for.  After my mother died, he changed though.  My father took all of his anger out on Damon.  When Katherine entered our lives, she changed him more.  He was finally more alive than he had been in years, but the other changes that she brought out in him, they worried me.  Ultimately it was my betrayal that changed him the most though.”

Elena intertwined her fingers with Stefan’s and she could see the surprise in his face.  “He makes his own choices, Stefan.  You shouldn’t torture yourself about it.”

“It would help if Damon didn’t torture me about it too.”

She smiled and kissed him.  “Well, I’m not going to torture you about it.”

“Maybe you should run for the hills Elena.  This relationship, us, I’m not good for you.  I…”

“Stefan Salvatore, don’t you dare tell me who I can and can’t like.  I’m the one who gets to decide that and I like you, vampire and all.”

Stefan smiled genuinely for the first time since the whole ordeal had began.  “Come on, let’s get you back home and to bed.  I promise that we can talk about this more whenever you want.”

She squeezed his hand.  “Deal.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I try to keep my notes to a minimum, but in this case I'd like to give a warning. The rating of this fic changes to mature in this chapter and it's only going to go up from here.

“And where have you been?!  I’ve tried calling you twice!”  Jenna glared at Elena and then Stefan.

“I’m sorry Aunt Jenna.”  Elena surveyed her aunt and noticed her school bag.

“You should be!  And if I wasn’t already late to meet my advisor I would thrash you for it right here and now.”

“You have a meeting on a Sunday?”

“A thesis waits for no woman.”  She pushed past both of them, but caught Elena’s eye.  “And _you_ , we will have serious words later.”

“I guess this marks my duty as complete?”  Stefan smiled at her.

“Wait, no.  Come in.”  She saw Stefan’s hesitance.  “Please?”

“I should get the ring back to Damon.”

“The suns already up,” she smiled as wickedly as she could, “he already has to wait.  What’s a few more hours?”

Stefan chuckled and let Elena draw him into the house.  “And what do you plan to do with a few more hours.”

“Chase me and find out.”  She bounded up the stairs and into her room.  Only then did she spin to see that Stefan hadn’t followed her.  She took a few steps back toward the entry, but strong arms wrapped around her before she got far.  “You took the window?  You cheater.”

“You never specified rules.” 

She turned to face him, still in the circle of his arms.  “Fine, you win.  What would you like as your prize.”

“You.”  Stefan’s gaze was intense and he kissed her deeply.

She returned the kiss, meeting his tongue with her own.  Stefan’s hand ran up and down her back and she shivered, pushing herself even closer to him.  He kissed her cheek, her jawline, and then her neck.  A low moan escaped her, “The door’s still open.”

Stefan pulled away abruptly and she fought the feeling of loss that came with him moving.  “I should just go.”

Elena kicked the door shut; it made a satisfying slam.  “Don’t go yet.  We never find time to be alone.  Stay with me.”

“After everything that’s happened in the last day…”

“I don’t care right now.”  Elena pulled Stefan onto the bed.  “My life’s shattering around me.  I just want something normal.”

She kissed him and he gradually responded.  “And you’re sure?”

“I’m sure.  Now shut up and kiss me.”  She pulled him to her and he continued where he had left off previously.  When his lips met her collarbone she pulled off her shirt impatiently.  Stefan stared at her for a moment, shocked. She pulled him back toward her and he reached under her bra and stroked both nipples.

She pulled off his shirt and ran her hands over his abs.  “Should we slow down?”

“If you make me tell you again, I’ll…”

Stefan cut her off by kissing her.  “I’d prefer to focus on this instead.”

He unclipped her bra and threw it to the floor carelessly.  With one her hand he stroked one of her nipples, he let the other trail down her body, his fingers curling underneath her jeans.  She followed suit eagerly, her hands sliding into the back of his jeans, cupping his ass and pulling him closer.

Stefan ran a hand over the jean fabric, rubbing tauntingly.  She reached to unbutton her pants but he beat her to it with a knowingly look.  “Do you mind?”

“Hardly.”  She wriggled upward, pulling free of the clingy fabric of the jeans and that of her underwear.  “But this hardly seems fair.”  She gestured to Stefan’s still have clothed state.

“It’s a problem I suppose I should fix it.”  He removed his jeans slowly, teasingly and Elena yanked the fabric down.  “In a hurry, Elena?”

She grinned.  “Just ready is more like it.” 

* * *

 

Stefan stirred as Elena reached for her phone, grumbling.  “Hello?  This is Elena.”

“Give the phone to Stefan.”  Damon growled.

“Here, it’s for you,” she rolled over, smacking Stefan’s bare chest with the phone.

“How did you get Elena’s number?”  He sat up in the bed.

“Would you believe me if I said the school phone book?”

“What do you want, Damon?”

“I think you know the answer to that.  I want my ring back.  I’m getting really bored and impatient.”

“A tan would look so good on you though.”  Stefan smirked, trying to cover his unease over Damon’s boredom.

“Two jokes in two days, Brother.  Who have you gotten into?”

Stefan ignored the dig.  “Has it ever occurred to you that I’m just enjoying seeing you at my mercy?”

“Well, enjoy the little present I left for you.”  Damon sounded positively gleeful.

“What did you do, Damon?”

“Bye-bye, I’m sure I’ll be hearing from you soon.”

Stefan handed the phone carefully back to Elena.  His phone was one thing, but hers was something different.  “I assume he still wants his ring back?  Anything new?”

Stefan located his shirt and threw it on, following suit with his pants.  “He said he had left us a present.”

“A _present_?”  A nervous look passed over Elena’s face and she too scrambled to find clothes.

As soon as she was dressed, she ran down the stairs, and Stefan followed.  “Jeremy?  Jeremy?”

“Shit, Elena, it’s not what it looks like.”

“Well you tell me what it looks like, Jeremy.”  Stefan rounded the corner and saw the entirety of the Gilbert’s refrigerator contents strewn throughout the kitchen.  “Because it looks like your drugged-out girlfriend just ate all of our food.”

“Let me see.”  Stefan pushed forward, placing himself between Vicki and Elena.  He examined her closely while she squirmed.  “She’s transitioning.”

“Transitioning?”  Elena looked from Vicki to Stefan frantically.

Stefan sighed, staring at Jeremy.  “Just get her upstairs, into a dark room.  That’ll help her most right now.”

“What is going on, Stefan?”  Jeremy asked angrily.  “Tell me.  I have a right to know.”

“Just get her upstairs,”

“And why should I listen to you?”

“Jer! Just go.”

“What is she transitioning into, Stefan?  Fucking tell me, dammit!”  Jeremy grabbed Stefan’s shirt and tried to push him into the wall, but he didn’t budge.  Elena’s brother stepped away in disgust.

“A vampire.”  Vicki said quietly.  “I’m transitioning into a vampire.”

Stefan exhaled heavily, but before he could say anything a voice from the front door spoke in.  He hadn’t heard Matt enter over the shouting.  “My little sister’s turning into a vampire?”  He demanded.

“Damon must have turned her.” 

Matt approached him angrily and he held out both hands, trying to forestall him.  “You’re brother’s a vampire?  You’re a vampire?!”

“Yes.  I’ll tell you more,” he promised, “But Vicki will feel better somewhere dark and quiet.”

“My head’s killing me.”  Vicki admitted.  “My gums. My jaw hurts. My gum--there's something in my gums, and it hurts.”

“Fangs?”  Matt asked of Stefan, angrily.

“Come on, Vik, let’s go upstairs.”  Jeremy put his arm around her and she nodded.

Matt turned and Stefan let himself be pushed up against the nearest wall.  “So what’s happening to my little sister?”

“My brother and I are vampires.  For reasons known only to Damon, he turned your little sister.”

“How can you go out in daylight?”

“We have spelled rings,” Stefan indicated his, “you sister is still transitioning, so the sun only irritates her.”

“You keep saying transitioning.  What does that even mean?”  Matt backed away from Stefan, but his face was still anguished.

“To become a vampire you must drink vampire blood and then die,” Matt and Elena flinched.  “When the person revives they have a day or two, tops, of a transition period.  If they do not feed then they die.”

“She has to drink people?”  Matt whispered.

“In order to complete the transition she does need to drink human blood.”

“But after that she could live off animal blood like you do?”

“If she completes the transition, then yes, that’s my hope.”

“If she completes the transition?”  Matt was angry again.  “That’s my little sister.  I can’t lose her.”

Stefan looked at Matt frankly.  “Most vampires kill the people they feed on during their transition.  Is that what you want?”

He set his job.  “But they don’t have to?”

“No, that’s true.”

Elena put a hand on Matt’s shoulder.  “But is that the kind of life you want for Vicki?”

“I want her to _have_ a life!”  He spun to face her.  “And if she dies now she won’t.”

A yell from upstairs caught their attention before Elena could reply.  “Jeremy?”  She sprinted upstairs to his room, with the other two on her heels.  “Jeremy!  Did she hurt you?”

The boy looked shocked.  “She didn’t hurt me, but I don’t know where she went.”

“I’ll look for her.”  Stefan pulled Elena into an embrace.  “Stay here, please.  You’ll be safe from her if she turns.”

She kissed him briefly.  “Okay, but you have to keep us updated on what’s happening.”

“Deal.”

She caught his hand before he could leave.  “The sunsets soon…”

“I’ll give Damon his ring back when he comes and finds me.  I need to deal with the mess he created first.”

“Please be safe.”

“Damon won’t kill me.”  Stefan tried to sound more assured than he was.  “I’ll text you when I find Vicki.”

Without allowing himself another moment, he followed Vicki’s earlier path out the window.  The last thing he heard was Jeremy demanding an explanation from Elena. 

* * *

 

“And what do we have here?”  Damon had heard the scream and investigated out of curiosity.

“It’s you.”  Vicki scowled.

“So it is.  And now you’re going to be a real vampire.”  He put a hand over his heart mockingly, “I’m so proud.”

“Shut up.  Just shut up.”  The girl was near tears.  “I just killed _Logan Fell_.”

“A Fell?  Oh, yes, I remember now, he was the reporter.”

“What was he doing out here?”

Damon glanced in the direction of the cemetery.  “Probably reporting on your dear deceased, druggie friends.”

“Vicki, I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”  Damon turned to see his brother.

In a flash, Damon pinned him to a tree, one hand on his neck.  “My ring, Stefan. Now.”

Stefan grabbed the ring for his pocket and placed it in Damon’s outstretched palm.  “Now let me go.”

“I should fucking kill you.”  Damon snarled, throwing Stefan in Vicki’s direction, and slipped the ring on his finger.

“And you haven’t done worse to me?”  Stefan got to his feet, rubbing his throat.

“We’re even.”  He warned his brother.

Stefan forced a laugh.  “Fine, even.  What’s done is done.”

“You’d really forgive me that easily?”  Damon asked skeptically, eyebrows raised.

“It doesn’t matter.”  Stefan turned to the girl.  “Vicki, let’s get you home.”

She pulled away.  “No, I don’t want Mattie to see me like this.”

“She could come to our house…no…wait.  Zach would have to invite her in.”  Damon laughed and Stefan scowled at him.

“I’ll call Zach.  We need to get her somewhere safe and away from humans.”

“So that you can start her on the bambi diet, population you?”

“Wait.”  Vicki glared at Stefan.  “Other vampires don’t like off animals?”

Damon couldn’t help but laugh.  “What have you been telling poor, confused little Icki here?”

“It’s Vicki,” she growled at Damon, her fangs bared.  “How do most vampires eat?”

"Well, if you’re morally opposed to killing people–”

“She is.” Stefan said firmly.

“—then you can compel, feed, and erase.  It’s how most vampires eat when they’re trying to keep a low profile.”

“So that’s how you…?”

“Alas, Mystic Falls is a suspicious lot.”  Damon shrugged.  “Half the town in scarves would alert the vampire hunters of this sleepy little town.”

“So then there’s another option?”

“Blood bags.”  Stefan jumped in, before Damon could say anything.

“Significantly less exciting _and_ significantly less tasty, but it’s still better than drinking poor little animals.”

“Can I…do that?”  Vicki looked hopefully from Stefan to Damon.

“Yes.”  Stefan conceded.

“Can you teach me?  This compel, feed, erase trick?”

Stefan set his jaw and Damon grinned.  “He can’t actually.  My little brother makes it sound like his diet choice is optional.  But Stefan has a...how would you say it…drinking problem?”

“A drinking problem?”

Damon casually through an arm around Vicki, she cringed.  “When he drinks the good stuff, human blood hot from the vein, he can’t stop.  Rips his victims clean apart.”

“So you can’t teach me then?”

Stefan dropped his head slightly.  “No.”

“But little girlie, _I_ can.”

“And you would?”  Hope returned to Vicki’s face.

“Don’t trust him Vicki.”

He surveyed his brother.  “I’ll help her, Stef.”

Stefan met his stare.  “You’ll help her?  You won’t get bored of her and ditch her and foist her off on me.  You won’t skip town and leave her to drink her way through Mystic Falls.  _You’ll_ take responsibility for your actions.”

“First lesson,” Damon pulled Vicki in the direction of the Boarding House, “how to walk away from Stefan when he gets on his soapbox.”


End file.
